Boise State Sues Former Big East In Battle Over $5M Buyout

BSU said its suit is based on the Big East it agreed to join no longer exists

Boise State Univ. yesterday announced that it was “pre-emptively suing the Big East and asking the Fourth Judicial District Court in Boise to absolve the school of any buyout penalty,” according to Chadd Cripe of the IDAHO STATESMAN. The school’s case “could hinge on the definition of an automatic-qualifying conference.” BSU President Bob Kustra said in a press release, "Boise State entered into that agreement in good faith and with a great degree of optimism, but the conference we agreed to join simply no longer exists.” BSU's release states that representatives of the American Athletic Conference, the name which the conference will be rebranded as this summer, "told the school it intended to sue for the $5 million buyout.” Cripe notes the Big East has been “involved in legal actions with several other departing members in recent years.” BSU by filing first “could be hoping to dictate where the lawsuit is conducted.” San Diego State Univ. “does not owe a buyout because the Big East no longer had a second team west of the Rocky Mountains when it left.” Existing Big East schools “face a $10 million buyout.” BSU’s penalty is “less because it never joined” (IDAHO STATESMAN, 4/16).